Oil-well packer



P. H. MACK.

OIL WELL PACKER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 23, I9I5.

1,350,553, Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

,UNiTED STATES PATENT- oFFlcE.

PATRICK H. MACK, 0F BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO OIL WELL SUPPLY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

OIL-WELL PACKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

Application led November 23, 1915. Serial No. 62,962.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK II. MACK, a citizen of the United States residing at Bradford, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil- VVell Packers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in packing structures and more particularly to structures employed in the packing of wells.

The invention is of the type disclosed in my companion application led August 31, 1915, Serial No. 48,224, the present invention embodying the general ideas set forth in the said companion application, the disclosure being of a different form of structure for carrying such ideas into effect.

The present invention, like that of the companion application, has forits purpose the establishing of a zone or zones of uniform resistance within the expansible packing by the compressing action of and on the packing. In the present invention, however, the zones are produced by individual expansible members of comparatively small width and of a particular cross section in combination with rigid members which cooperate with the individual expansible members in producing the packing action. This change in construction vpermits of a material decrease in the cost of production and of substitution of parts in case of re-use of the packer. Furthermore, the Zones are more definitely formed and located.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional view showing a simple arrangement of parts for producing the desired result, the parts being shown in unexpanded position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the packer expanded.

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views of various forms of well packers, showing the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a modified arrangement.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 represents a tube threaded at one end to receive a compressing member' 11.

12 indicates a sectional packing structure formed of two series of sections or members, one series havmg the sections preferably formed of rubber or other expansible material, and being of two types indicated respectively at 12a and 12", the former being the end sections; the other series is in the form of rigid members presently referred to. The packing structure is located between the com ression member 11 and a member 13. ember 13 may be fixed with respect to tube 10 as in Figs. 1 and 2 or may be movable relatively thereto, it being understood that members 11 and 13, 1n the packing setting operation, are relatively movable axially in order to provide a compressing action on the structure 12.

As shown, members 11 and 13 are preferably provided with annular langes which form recesses into which the sections 12a extend.

The sections 12b are tubular in form and have their opposite sides oppositely inclined to a plane which intersects the section axis at right angles, the greatest width of the section being'C on its outer periphery, the inclined sides tending to give the section a wedge shape on a cross section intersecting such plane. The sections 12b are assembled on the tube 10 alternately with rigid members 14 of the opposite series, said members being preferably of metal, these .members being ring-shaped with their opposite sides inclined substantially complemental to the inclined sides of adjacent expansible sections, the greatest width of members 14 being on the inner periphery of the members.

The sections 12b adjacent the sections 12a are separated therefrom by ring shaped members 14a, these latter members having inclined sides, but differing from members 14 in that the opposite sides are parallel with each other, thus producing a washerlike effect.

The preferred arrangement of the sections 12"l and 12b and members 14 and 14, when assembled, is shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement provides a composite structure extending from the member 11 to member 13, the structure having the general shape and appearance of the ordinary packer, with the exception that the outer periphery of members 14 and 14a will be exposed at the surface of the packer. lVhile the packer has such-general appearance, its structure differs radically from that of the ordinary packer, in that it consists of successive layers of expansible and rigid members with the contact faces of the layers relatively arranged to provide a we ge action on the expansible members 12b when pressure 1s applied axially of the members. As' the members 14 and 14*l are free to move inthe direction of length of tube 10, it will be readily understood that the compressing action on members 12b is distributed through out the length ofi the packing, this being especially true by reason of the fact that the sections 12b `are in the form of rings, expansion of which is against the normaltendency to retain the initial shape and size of the rings at their inner peripherles. Consequently, the .sections 12b w1ll be compressed uniformly and will form successive zones of substantially uniform resistance, the two series of sections coperating to build up the resistance as the compression is applied and as a result of the compressing action.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a modified arrangement, in that the sections 20 are undercut as at 20a, the rigid members 21 having a face 21 complemental to the undercut face,

its thin edge at one end of the member in- .stead of at the periphery. The opposite end of the member may have various configurations, as at 21", 21 and 21d, Fig. 5 showing various ways in which the configuration mafv be provided.

The fact that the sections are of comparatively narrow width decreases the cost of manufacture, ducI to the fact that where the rubber packing is continuous and of considerable length (often of a length in excess of eighteen inches),l imperfections in 'manufacture, even though small, form a bar against the use of the packing. Furthermore, the fact that packingmembers can be built up in any desired length by simply adding or taking away the necessary number of sections and rings, enables theA desired size packer to be produced by simply carrying esections and members of the two series in stock, thus dispensing with the necessity of carrying various sizes of the expensive tubular packers heretofore employed. yIn addition, the fact that this uniformity in resistance is produced and the further fact that this resistance is in the form of individual zones located successively in the direction of fiow of-leakage, it is possible to provide the desired packing effect by the use of packing structures of less length than that required with the ordinary continuous tubular packing.

As will be readily understood, the eneral principles of Figs. 1 and 2 maybe em odied in various types of packers. For instance, in Fig. 3 I have shown it applied to a packer of the type disclosed in my com anion gpplication, filed March 5, 1915, 1erial o. 12,304, the packer in this case being one set solely by rotation of a tool, the form shown .v

`ing in the sleeve a', this action causing the cap a2 to be moved\ inwardly to compress the packing, the fixed or opposing member being indicated at a3. v

In Fig. 4, I have shown the invention of Figs. 1 and 2 as applied to a packer which is adapted to be set by the superimposed weight of the upper sections, the example shown being that of the structure disclosed in the patent to P. H. and F. H. Mack, No. 1,145,155, July 6, 1915. In this arrangement the packing member is set by the Weight ofthe superimposed pipe sections when the lower end of the packer reaches an abutment within the well. In this view, the fixed member is indicated at b and the movable member at b.l

While I have shown the application of the invention in connection with these two forms only, Ait will be obvious that it may also be employed in connection with other types of ackers.

1. In packing structures for wells, a tubular body member, opposing recessed end members carried thereon, an upper expansible member entered in one en'd member, a lower expansible member entered in the opposite end member, a series of expansible members intermediate the upper and lower expansible members, and a series of rigid members alternating with the intermediate .expansible members.

2. In packing structures for wells, a tubular body member, opposing recessed end members carried thereon, an upper expansible member entered in one end member, a

lower expansible member entered in the op.

posite end member, a series of wedge-shaped expansible members intermediate the upper and lower expansible members, and a series of rigid wedge-shaped members alternating with the intermediate expansible memody, an upper expansible member,

ternating with the intermediate expansible members and having top and bottom faces inclined in opposition to' the faces of the intermediate members.

4;. In packing structures for wells, a tubular body member, a plurality of expansible ring members having top and bottom faces inclined from the outer periphery inwardly, a plurality of rigid ring members alternating with the expansible rings and having top and 'bottom faces inclined in opposition to the faces of the expansible rings, and opposing end members for exerting pressure on the packing.

' 5. In packing structures for wells, a tubular member, a packing external of the tubular member and comprising a plurality of expansible ring members wedge shaped throughout, rigid wedge-shaped ring members interposed between the expansible members, said rigid and expansible members having inclined complemental faces adapted to provide expansive action to form zones of substantially ,uniform resistance within and in the direction of length of the structure by pressure exerted in the direction of member axis, and means' for producing such pressure.

6. In packing structures for wells, a tubular member, a packing external of the tubular member comprising a plurality of expansible ring members wedge shaped throughout each having its greatest width on its outer periphery, a plurality of rigid wedge-shaped ring members each having its greatest width 0n its inner periphery, a rigid member between adjacent expansible members, and means for expanding the packing by compression.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK H. MACK.

Witnesses:

W. E. BURDICK, FINETTA C. MCFADDEN. 

